Scars that Save

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

John 10:27-28

There is a story about a hot summer day in Florida, and a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.  In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran down the dock as fast as he could and flew into the water.  What he didn’t realize was that as he swam out into the water, there was an alligator swimming toward him.

His mother, in the house looking out the window - saw the two approaching each other.  In utter fear, she ran out the back door screaming at the top of her lungs for her son to turn around.  Hearing the alarm in his mother’s voice, he made a quick U-turn to swim back to shore.  But it was too late.  Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.  From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs.  That began an incredible tug-of-war between the mother and the alligator.  The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was too passionate to let go.  A farmer drove by, and hearing the screams and seeing the incredible struggle, he stopped and got the gun from his truck and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived and the doctors and surgeons were able to save both legs.  His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack.  The local paper and television news team requested an interview of this heroic little survivor.  The reporters asked if they could see his scars.  Everyone expected to see him left his pant legs, but instead he rolled up his shirt sleeves.

On his arms were deep scratches.  The reporters said, “We want to see the scars the alligator’s teeth made on your legs.”  “I could show you those awful things, but I would rather show you these.  These are the scars from my mother’s fingernails.  These were made because my mother refused to let go of me.  These scars are why I’m alive today!”

You and I can identify with that little boy.  We have scars to point to as well - not from a mother but from a Good Shepherd.  Our Good Shepherd refused to let go of us, His sheep, therefore, He faced the vicious attack of the ravenous wolf by Himself.  Satan attacked the Shepherd in hopes to devour and scatter the sheep.  But no one can snatch us out of His scarred hands. 

We bear the mark of the cross on our forehead and heart - the mark of the love of God for us that He would rather send His Son to die on the cross than let go of any one of us.  The cross is a beautiful mark - for it reveals the love of our God who refuses to let go of us - despite the fact that we are sheep, and sheep love to wander, and sometimes we wander into dangerous situations.  St. Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  Death can’t, life can’t, principalities and their evil values can’t, nor things present like cancer, trials, nor height, the greatest times, nor depth, even the lowest of depression, nor anything in all creation, can snatch us away.

What greater safety can there be than to know that the Lord takes your hand, and in the power of His saving Name, promises to never let go - when we face cancer, a job loss, problems in relationships, no matter what struggle or in the midst of any great joy - our Good Shepherd firmly grasps us and assures us of our forgiveness, He restores us in His peace, He comforts us with His presence, and He gives us eternal life.  We are safe in the Name of our loving Shepherd, and we have the scars to prove it - and they are on His hands that hold us forever.